Yevhen I. Bilash (Dzhekson)

Yevhen Ivanovych Bilash was born on May 6, 1991, in Kharkiv and was the only son in the family. Despite the fact that after the 9th grade he enrolled in a local technical school and later became a qualified specialist in the field of electricity supply, Yevhen always said that he had no place in civilian life. Even in his teenage years, he became interested in all types of weapons, enjoyed going to shooting ranges, read military literature, and collected knives. Additionally, the young man adored an active lifestyle and tried to turn his energy into useful habits and hobbies: he engaged in athletics, skydiving, and cycling. His military career began in 2010 with compulsory service in the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. Then there was a brief break during which Yevhen Bilash worked as a security guard in one of Kharkiv's jewelry stores. Life went on steadily and calmly. However, the events of 2014—the annexation of Crimea by Russia, the rise of the separatist movement in Donbas, and the beginning of the anti-terrorist operation—did not leave the man indifferent. He volunteered to go to the front to defend Ukraine. Initially, he fought in the ATO area as part of the "Slobozhanshchyna" patrol police battalion, and when it was disbanded, he joined the "Eastern Corps" patrol police unit. In 2016, Yevhen Ivanovych signed a contract to serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and defended Donbas within the ranks of the Armed Forces until 2019. After that, he returned to civilian life, working as an electrician and making plans for the future. On February 24, 2022, with the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Yevhen Ivanovych was one of the first to volunteer to defend Ukraine from the invader and was assigned to the 3rd Operational Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine. He took part in all combat missions assigned to his unit, starting from the city of Pyatykhatky on the outskirts of Kharkiv in the first hours of the war and ending in the city of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast in February 2023. Junior Sergeant Yevhen Bilash was respected and held authority among his comrades, having established himself as a well-prepared, highly qualified, and principled serviceman, a true patriot of his country, capable of timely and quality execution of combat tasks. In November 2022, near the village of Novoselivka in Luhansk Oblast, a group of National Guard servicemen, which included Yevhen Bilash, destroyed an ammunition depot and about a platoon of enemy personnel. When the enemy began an offensive on their positions, Yevhen Bilash actively participated in commanding the battle. He sustained a gunshot shrapnel wound to his leg but continued to repel the enemy's attack. In January 2023, a group under the command of Junior Sergeant Yevhen Bilash opened aimed and destructive fire on the enemy. He destroyed an enemy multipurpose armored personnel carrier and about 10 occupiers with several precise shots from an RPG. Thanks to his direct involvement and skillful command of the personnel, the enemy suffered devastating losses and was forced to retreat. Junior Sergeant Yevhen Bilash also defended Bakhmut. On February 2, 2023, around 11:00 AM, the occupiers, supported by artillery, stormed the building where Yevhen was carrying out a combat mission. In the ensuing clash, he eliminated about a squad of occupiers. During the assault, two guards were wounded. The guard reached the wounded comrades and provided them with first aid—stopping the bleeding and helping the fighters leave the shelling sector, evacuating them to a safe place before returning to his combat position. On February 9, 2023, Junior Sergeant Yevhen Bilash, along with three comrades, was conducting reconnaissance. While approaching the target, he discovered two sentries. Understanding that the use of firearms would reveal their location, Yevhen and his partner neutralized the enemy using cold weapons. After gathering the necessary data, the reconnaissance group was returning to their positions but was detected by the enemy. The guard ordered his subordinates to withdraw while he stayed behind to cover them. He engaged in battle, holding back the enemy alone. However, the occupiers used grenades, and as a result of one of the explosions, Junior Sergeant Yevhen Bilash was killed. For personal courage and heroism displayed in the defense of the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and loyalty to the military oath, Junior Sergeant Bilash Yevhen Ivanovych was posthumously awarded the title of "Hero of Ukraine" with the presentation of the "Golden Star" order.